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Lunch programme reduces truancy at ESHS

ESHS students cannot leave the compound during the lunch period unless a parent or guardian signs them out. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The implementation of the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) lunch programme is seen as a blessing in disguise because it drastically eliminates the sore issue of truancy.

Speaking briefly to Virgin Islands News Online, one of the Truancy Officers, Dickson Igwe said that the number has dwindled since students now have to remain in the compound instead of having the freedom of roaming the streets.

The truancy programme was introduced in the public schools on September 9, 2009 by the Ministry of Education, with the main goals of curbing loitering and lateness.

“The loitering has dropped dramatically, and there is a slight decrease in the late attendance. So we now focus a lot on juvenile delinquency where young students get in trouble with the law,” Igwe added.

Against this backdrop, the truancy officers keep a record of all the juvenile delinquents and try in many instances to provide counselling.

The correlation between the lunch programme and reduced numbers in truancy must be music to the ears of the former Minister for Education and Culture and 1st district representative Hon. Andrew Fahie since it was his brainchild.

In his message for the new school term of September 2011, Hon. Fahie had disclosed he has allowed confirmation with the Education Act which now stipulates Government is responsible for students during school hours.

“In addition, this course of action will allow for us to meaningfully address a number of social ills that were beginning to mushroom during the time our students left the school compound particularly during the lunch hour. We will exhaust all efforts to ensure that this school lunch programme is successful. This initiative will also assist significantly in our students having more quality instructional time,” Hon. Fahie had said.

The programme includes local vendors and a Government stall with vendors following environmental health and other government policies, and parents and guardians have to sign out their children if they have to leave the compound during the lunch period.

14 Responses to “Lunch programme reduces truancy at ESHS”

  • civil servant (26/01/2012, 07:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    good progamme let's hope Myron with his ugly ego do not stop this much needed programme as yes some kids in the bvi goes without lunch
    • Sim Sim (26/01/2012, 13:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Civil servant what are you talking about. Why would some children "go without lunch?". Me nah understand.
      • killer (26/01/2012, 17:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        boss there are many kids not only in high school but in the primary schools that go without lunch every day...you upperdy people will not know this. thank you Brox Bummer and tell Myron do not touch this programme.
  • Jog (26/01/2012, 09:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Myron needs to have better school counsellors who are trained and equip to handle these things. THe Guidance Counselling programme needs to revamp!!!! It is not effective.
  • weed man (26/01/2012, 10:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    this food lunch will never get the credit it deserved as it was the brainchild of Fahie...
    • thruth (26/01/2012, 13:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It was a good iniciative but it needs to be revisited. There is no choice, no much vegetables or fruits, no much variaties. If food is healthy and different they will eat it, small changes will be great steps for the future.
  • YUP! (26/01/2012, 12:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow, this whole article was just spotlighting the positivity of the programme, no bashing no nothing, yet some how the first three posters managed to find SOMETHING!! negative to spotlight. Nobody thought to say ' Give thanks for a policy that is working for our children' and just leave it at that. Well sah! the "wonderous" place we live in call the BVI
    • dog meat (26/01/2012, 16:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      well you know vino writers are the best but the haters are just too much!
  • teacher (26/01/2012, 13:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes this is positive news however the staggering of upper and lower school lunches (1st-2nd at 12:00 and 3rd- 5th at 11:00) has also contributed greatly to the reduction in truancy
  • too much of you people (26/01/2012, 17:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    mehson ayo the funny man going after this lunch programe because too many VIP food vendors in there...you heard it from me deman...
  • Wow (27/01/2012, 09:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Keeping the kids on campus is a great idea. The lunch programme however needs some structuring. This programme wz done without looking at a lot of detail not because the Minister (then) said it must happen means you just go n waste money without the proper thinking. Too much STALE FOOD selling, EVERYBODY SELLING THE SAME TYPE OF FOOD (junk and cook food), TOO MANY VENDORS FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME (lunchtime is not a hour), KIDS TIRED EATING SAME CRAP, FOOD IS EXPENSIVE, KIDS DONT LIKE/EAT MOST OF THE FOOD OFFERED, FOOD NOT BEING PROPERLY COOKED, WHERE KIDS EAT IS HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT. People need to stop talk what they dont know and come take a visit to the High School and talk to the teachers and kids. You will get ALL the information you need. Keeping them is in GREAT, however the Lunch programme is BAD!!!
  • not yet (27/01/2012, 12:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    yeepy!!the lunch programme has saved us!!! NOT YET! This was needed years ago. Unfortunately like everything else it is an overnight solution. What the schools in the BVI needs are caferteias, not make shift structures that are incomplete. consider the big tent at eshs, how many years has that tent been standing. so I can only imaging how long the two new tents will be erected. What are the role of the truancy officers, how are the connected to the schools and the schools counselors? How many school counselors are there and are they sufficient to serve the school population? Furthermore what are the roles of the school counselors?
  • Student (27/01/2012, 19:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This lunch programme is wack! and only people who aint in skool goin to agree with it.! Ayo thinkk it finee if ayo only know da truth.. Our Break time get take away.! Lunch is 11 o Clock.! das like a eating Brunch..! When lunch time done done before school finish wee hungry again.! When da bell ring for lunch half ah da teachers dont less us out on time.! Everyday THE SAME FOOD.. HALF DHA FOOD COLDDDDDD... these vendors aint even giving us our money worth them feeding us like dogs.!Them say how it goin have a lot of vendors in the skool..! if ayoo see the Lil bit a vendors wa selling the same food EVERYDAY.! it aint even got noo vegeterian food.!


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